Cru Ft. Myers RIP

I just heard Cru closed it's doors last weekend. In it's heyday I felt it was the best restaurant in southwest Florida with the most innovative menu. I had eaten there early last season and still had a terrific meal, but I heard by spring they had been fading a bit. The chef opened M Waterfront Grille in Naples last spring so obviously he left a sinking ship, and the food suffered. If you enjoyed Cru at it's best, you should try M.

I reported it's demise about two weeks ago on the dead and dying Fort Myers restaurant thread. Cru was a poster child for the Fort Myers bubble. We don't do well trying to do chic here and the restaurant never lived up to its hype in my opinion. It had a few moments when it first opened but it really didn't have to work too hard to keep the realtors and builders coming in.

Say good bye to Cru, at Bell Tower. The poor economy and quite frankly, better restaurants put this one under. I also feel Coconut Point has taken what retail life is left in Lee County. Although I had lunch at The Grape two weeks ago on a Saturday at 12, and they were not busy at all. Even Coconut Point will have a tipping point and I think they have opened too many restaurants for now.

I never was fond of CRU, thinking it was cheesily "hip". If you look above at my post on June 18, you'll see where I thought they were cutting corners on ingredients. I thought they might have had some food service pap instead of chef made appetizers last spring. I imagine I was right.

Who will be next? If Mille Sapore isn't gone already it is probably on tap to close. I get massages next door and never see anyone there, but there was no sign saying they were closed. LMF

Lil, I must have missed your previous post about the demise of Cru, or just forgot. CRS keeps getting worse every year! When I got back down here in October I checked the Cru menu on their website and found it pretty dull and uninteresting. I hadn't known at the time their chef had left for M Bistro, but feared they were on their last legs.

cru is reopening. that didn't last long, but their new slant will be small plates and lower cost. I think it is foolish to do it so soon, but they are probably on the hook for an outrageous rent. the owner is the leading orthopedic surgeon in Lee co. so I guess he can afford to do this. there is little traffic at bell tower right now and I'd be surprised to see this work out. LMF